Front Runner Under Rack Storage Slides for Maxtrax

[Beowulf]

To maximize every inch of space, I was thinking of using the Front Runner Under Rack Storage Slides to mount the Maxtrax upside down under the roof rack. Any thoughts on why this would not work? If I had the room, the brackets could be spaced down and the Maxtrax could be slide in right side up as well.

http://www.frontrunner.co.za/rack-accessories/front-runner-extreme-under-rack-storage-slides.html

 

[live2travel photography]

I dont see why this wouldn't work. Good idea beowulf. It's always great to see new ideas on mounting any type of recovery equipment. I'll be looking forward to some photos when you get everything mounted up.

 

[Ducky's Dad]

I have long, aluminum sand ladders (think Camel Trophy Rovers) and was thinking about using those FrontRunner slides to store the ladders under my roof basket. The slides are short (34.5") and expensive, so I decided to use aluminum channel from the local metal supply. Cut the aluminum to whatever length you need, put a bolt vertically through the front to keep the trax from sliding forward under hard braking, and an extra hole at the back of the channel for a cable lock or padlock to secure them. The aluminum is available in various dimensions, generally in 10' and 20' lengths, so a single 10-footer should be plenty to cut two tracks. I can usually find what I need in the scrap bin, so cost is low. Aluminum does not weigh much, is easy to cut and drill, and you can put the mounting holes wherever they need to be to fit your rack. A strip of carpet glued to the bottom of the rail simplifies deploying and stowing the trax. If I didn't already have the aluminum ladders, I'd probably get MaxTrax if they could handle prolonged sun exposure on top of the truck, and the weight of my truck.

 

[Beowulf]

Ducky's Dad,

Do you have any pictures of that set up?

 

[Ducky's Dad]

No pics yet, because I have not finished the installation yet. Got the idea last time I was stuck, when I realized I had to pull just about everything out of the back of the truck to get at the recovery gear. My roof rack is a set of three Yakima cross bars mounted to the top of the cab-high camper shell, with an old school Con-Ferr basket mounted to two of the crossbars, so I have quite a bit of space between the underside of the bars and the top of the shell. One thing I discovered is that galvanized steel electrical conduit clamps (probably nominal 1" size) fit nicely around the Yakima bars and provide a great way to bolt all kinds of stuff to those bars without any drilling or significant fabrication. I can post some pics after I finish installation, but that won't be for a few weeks yet.

The basic idea is just like the Frontrunner tracks, but because the aluminum is a C-channel, the mounting bolts are directly over the support channel, rather than outboard as you would have with the Frontrunner Z-channel. The big advantages are that the aluminum is cheap and light, and you can cut the tracks to any length you want.

 

[Beowulf]

Ducky’s Dad

Did you finish the set?